The invention relates to an apparatus and its method of use for determining the presence or concentrations of analytes in a liquid sample with single-use disposable cartridges adapted for conducting diverse real-time or near real-time assays of analytes.
In specific embodiments, the invention relates to the determination of analytes in biological samples such as blood using electrochemical immunosensors or other ligand/ligand receptor-based biosensors. The invention further relates to a reference-immunosensor for use with an immunosensor to reduce the effect of interferences in an immunoassay, it also relates to reducing the effect of cellular components, including leukocytes and erythrocytes, on an immunoassay performed in a whole-blood sample.
A multitude of laboratory tests for analytes of interest are performed on biological samples for diagnosis, screening, disease staging, forensic analysis, pregnancy testing, drug testing, and other reasons. While a few qualitative tests, such as pregnancy tests, have been reduced to simple kits for the patient's home use, the majority of quantitative tests still require the expertise of trained technicians in a laboratory setting using sophisticated instruments. Laboratory testing increases the cost of analysis and delays the results. In many circumstances, delay can be detrimental to a patient's condition or prognosis, such as for example the analysis of markers indicating myocardial infarction. In these critical situations and others, it would be advantageous to be able to perform such analyses at the point of care, accurately, inexpensively, and with a minimum of delay.
A disposable sensing device for measuring analytes in a sample of blood is disclosed by Lauks in U.S. Pat. No. 5,096,669. Other devices are disclosed by Davis et al. in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,628,961 and 5,447,440 for a clotting time. These devices employ a reading apparatus and a cartridge that fits into the reading apparatus for the purpose of measuring analyte concentrations and viscosity changes in a sample of blood as a function of time. A potential problem with such disposable devices is variability of fluid test parameters from cartridge to cartridge due to manufacturing tolerances or machine wear. Zelin, U.S. Pat. No. 5,821,399 discloses methods to overcome this problem using automatic flow compensation controlled by a reading apparatus using conductimetric sensors located within a cartridge. U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,096,669, 5,628,961, 5,447,440, and 5,821,399 are hereby incorporated in their respective entireties by reference.
Antibodies are extensively used in the analysis of biological analytes. For a review of basic principles see Eddowes, Biosensors 3:1-15, 1987. U.S. Pat. No. 5,807,752 to Brizgys discloses a test system in which a solid phase is impregnated with a receptor for an analyte of interest. A second analyte-binding partner attached to a spectroscopically-determinable label and a blocking agent is introduced, and the spatial distribution of the label is measured. Spectroscopic measurements require a light transducer, typically a photomultiplier, phototransistor, or photodiode, and associated optics that may be bulky or expensive, and are not required in electrochemical methods, in which an electrical signal is produced directly.
Electrochemical detection, in which binding of an analyte directly or indirectly causes a change in the activity of an electroactive species adjacent to an electrode, has also been applied to immunoassay. For a review of electrochemical immunoassay, see: Laurell et al., Methods in Enzymology, vol. 73, “Electroimmunoassay”, Academic Press, New York, 339, 340, 346-348 (1981).
U.S. Pat. No. 4,997,526 discloses a method for detecting an analyte that is electroactive. An electrode poised at an appropriate electrochemical potential is coated with an antibody to the analyte. When the electroactive analyte binds to the antibody, a current flows at the electrode. This approach is restricted in the analytes that can be detected; only those analytes that have electrochemical midpoint potentials within a range that does not cause the electrode to perform non-specific oxidation or reduction of other species present in the sample by the electrode. The range of analytes that may be determined is extended by the method disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,830,959, which is based upon enzymatic conversion of a non-mediator to a mediator. Application of the aforementioned invention to sandwich immunoassays, where a second antibody is labeled with an enzyme capable of producing mediator from a suitable substrate, means that the method can be used to determine electroinactive analytes.
Microfabrication techniques (eg. photolithography and plasma deposition) are attractive for construction of multilayered sensor structures in confined spaces. Methods for microfabrication of electrochemical immunosensors, for example on silicon substrates, are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,200,051 to Cozzette et al., which is hereby incorporated in its entirety by reference. These include dispensing methods, methods for attaching biological reagent, e.g. antibodies, to surfaces including photoformed layers and microparticle latexes, and methods for performing electrochemical assays.
In an electrochemical immunosensor, the binding of an analyte to its cognate antibody produces a change in the activity of an electroactive species at an electrode that is poised at a suitable electrochemical potential to cause oxidation or reduction of the electroactive species. There are many arrangements for meeting these conditions. For example, electroactive species may be attached directly to an analyte (see above), or the antibody may be covalently attached to an enzyme that either produces an electroactive species from an electroinactive substrate, or destroys an electroactive substrate. See, M. J. Green (1987) Philos. Trans. R. Soc. Lond. B. Biol. Sci. 316:135-142, for a review of electrochemical immunosensors.
The concept of differential amperometric measurement is well known in the electrochemical art, see for example jointly owned Cozzette, U.S. Pat. No. 5,112,455. In addition, a version of a differential amperometric sensor combination is disclosed in jointly owned Cozzette, U.S. Pat. No. 5,063,081. However, these and other references are silent on the concept of an immuno-reference sensor coated with antibody to a plasma protein, that is used in conjunction with an immunosensor for an analyte.
The prior art contains references to immunosensors for detection of human serum albumin using an antibody to human serum albumin for capture. These include Paek, (U.S. Pat. No. 6,478,938), Berggren (U.S. Pat. No. 6,436,699), Giaever (U.S. Pat. No. 3,853,467), Yamazoe (JP 07260782) and Owaku (JP 05273212). These references are silent on the use of anti-human serum albumin antibody, or other antibodies for establishing an immuno-reference sensor for use in conjunction with an immunosensor.
The following patents address various means for correcting an analytical determination for the effect of hematocit. U.S. Pat. No. 6,106,778 uses sample that is diluted and a Coulter-type cell counter to determine the erythrocyte cell count from which hematocrit is calculated. This is used to correct the result of an immunoassay. There is no anticipation of the use of a bulk conductivity sensor and an immunosensor, or making the measurements in undiluted blood. U.S. Pat. No. 6,475,372 teaches a method for correcting an analyte concentration for hematocrit based on two amperometric measurements at opposite polarities. U.S. Pat. No. 4,686,479 provides a sample ion correction for hematocrit measurements using the combination of an ion sensor and a conductivity sensor.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,081,063 discloses the use of permselective layers for electrochemical sensors and the use of film-forming latexes for immobilization of bioactive molecules, incorporated here by reference. The use of poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) in sensor manufacture is described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,030,827 incorporated here by reference. Vikholm (US 2003/0059954A1) teaches antibodies directly attached to a surface with a biomolecule repellant coating, e.g. PVA, the surface in the gaps between antibodies, and Johansson (U.S. Pat. No. 5,656,504) teaches a solid phase, e.g. PVA, with antibodies immobilized thereon. U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,030,827 and 6,379,883 teach methods for patterning poly(vinylalcohol) layers and are incorporated by reference in their entirety
With regard to amperometric measurements, there are several means known in the art for reducing the importance of the non-Faradaic component of the signal, thus increasing sensitivity. These include newer electrochemical methods, e.g. using square wave voltammetry in place of chronoamperometry, and chemical means, e.g. an alkyl thiol reagent to passivate an electrode surface.
Various devices and methods for sealing a biological sample, e.g. blood into an analytical system for doing blood tests have been devised including; jointly owned Lauks, U.S. D 337,164; Lauks, U.S. Pat. No. 5,096,669; Lauks, U.S. Pat. No. 5,779,650; Lauks, U.S. Pat. No. 5,666,967; Lauks, U.S. Pat. No. 5,653,243; Lauks, U.S. Pat. No. 5,638,828 and Lauks, U.S. Pat. No. 6,010,463; as well as Cuppoletti, U.S. Pat. No. 5,208,649; Nurse, U.S. Pat. No. 5,254,315; Kilcoin U.S. Pat. No. 6,395,235 and Strand US 2002/0155033. However, these do not disclose a sealing element that is slidably movable over at least a portion of a planar surface to displace excess fluid away from a sample entry port, so as to seal a volume of fluid within a holding chamber and inhibit the fluid from prematurely breaking through a capillary stop.